76ers' Doc Rivers Had No Issue with James Harden's Las Vegas Trip: 'I Didn't Care'

Philadelphia 76ers star James Harden received plenty of criticism for partying in Las Vegas after the team's first-round series against the Brooklyn Nets.

To head coach Doc Rivers, Harden's visits to Las Vegas didn't matter.

"It's funny," Rivers told Heavy.com's Steve Bulpett. "James called me before he went, and I was like, 'So what? Do it.' Dennis Rodman went to Vegas. They asked me about it, and I said, 'We had three days off.' I told them to do whatever they want. He's a grown man. I didn't care."

The Sixers swept the Nets, and Harden was solid in that series, averaging 17.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, 8.8 assists and 1.5 steals while shooting 34.3 percent from the floor and 42.4 percent from deep.

The three-time scoring champion followed that up with a brilliant performance in a Game 1 win over the Boston Celtics on Monday, finishing with 45 points, one rebound, six assists and two steals.

The Vegas trip seemingly hasn't impacted his performance, though Rivers admitted that if he was a younger coach, Harden's partying probably would have bothered him.

"Oh yeah, I would have overreacted to that, all of it," Rivers said. "But, you know, it's funny to think about it now. Just years of coaching adults and watching The Last Dance, all that stuff doesn't seem as big. You just get older and more experienced, man. And you know what I've learned? Some guys are who they are. Let 'em be that."